The Int'l University Sports Federation (FISU) "has unveiled the candidate cities for the 2019 Summer and Winter Universiades, with three capital cities all in contention to host the 30th Summer World University Games in six years time," according to James Crook of INSIDE THE GAMES. Brazilian capital Brasilia, Azerbaijani capital Baku and Hungarian capital Budapest "are the three cities battling to stage the Summer Games" in '19. The Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk in Russia and Valais in Switzerland "will go head-to-head for hosting rights for the Winter Games in the same year." After securing the rights to host the FIFA World Cup next summer and the first Olympic and Paralympics Games on South American soil in '16, Brazil "is currently revelling in its status as an emerging nation and winning the hosting rights for the 2019 Summer Universiade would be another coup for the nation." Baku "is very much an emerging sporting city that has made no secret of its grand ambitions; notably including failed bids for the 2016 and 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games." Baku is also set to host the inaugural European Games in '15, and a Summer Universiade "would certainly be a welcome addition to its growing portfolio." Budapest has hosted the games on two occasions; under their previous guise as the Int'l University Games in '35 and the Universiade in '65 (INSIDE THE GAMES, 4/3).
